In her first few months as a member of the Pelham Manor Board of Trustees, Democrat Deborah Winstead has been a voice of dissent on the panel, most notably when she voted against the village’s proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. At several meetings, Winstead’s supporters showed up to voice agreement for her positions on pedestrian safety, an increased tree canopy and other quality of life issues.

Things changed at the last meeting, on April 13, when three residents–all staunch supporters of the four other trustees, two of whom are registered Republicans–questioned Winstead pointedly in the public comment period.

Cindy Courtien, a resident of Pelham Manor, asked Winstead to elaborate on the reasoning behind her “no” vote on the budget, especially since the Manor has consistently stayed below the tax cap, unlike the Town of Pelham or Village of Pelham.

“There were several reasons,” said Winstead. “I think the most important one to me was a matter of transparency and how we consistently under-budget the sales tax revenue. I’m not saying we need to spend that money but I do think we should show the residents here a little bit more closely that we can tell over time that that revenue is coming in.”

The next speaker, Sylvia Rowe, pushed Winstead about her suggestion that the village budget for 250 new trees and where they would be planted.

“Do you have a plan for that?” Rowe asked. “Is there a map for where they would go?”

Winstead said she did not. “What I know is that we are we are way low on the amount of trees and tree canopy that we should have in our village,” she said. Winstead referred to a study involving Greenwood Cemetery, which almost the same size as Pelham Manor, and which has struggled to maintain its tree canopy. Rowe pointed out that there are no houses in the cemetery which trees could fall into.

Winstead’s prime inquisitor was Steve Shekane who voiced concerns about the new trustee’s ability to work collaboratively. He referred to a Facebook post by New York State Senator Nathalia Fernandez about a meeting she had with Winstead and a Bronx official involving a discussion of flood mitigation.

“I didn’t see any official communication from the Village about this visit and there hasn’t been any update to the community about it,” said Shekane. “I have a number of questions. How did this meeting come about? Were the mayor, other trustees, and village manager aware of this meeting, and were they invited? What was discussed during this visit and what was the outcome or next steps?”

“I set up that meeting,” Winstead responded. “The discussion was trying to push them along to do the work that they need to do on their side of the property, on the New York City side.”

Village Manager Lindsay Luft, said, “I do just want to provide a clarification. I don’t know if it is the same meeting with the DEC [Department of Environmental Conservation] regarding our grant application or rather award, but we do have a meeting with the DEC on Wednesday to discuss our stormwater project… I was not at the … Facebook meeting but I’ve met with them separately over the years.”

“Were you informed of that meeting?” Mayor Jennifer Lapey asked.

“No, I was not,” said Luft.

Steve Shekane asked Winstead why she did not inform the other board members of the meeting.

“Because I have relationships with them and I’m trying to push it and get them to do something  for our people on Grant and Monroe,” said Winstead.

“I really have to respond to something there,” interjected Lapey. “We have relationships too and we have a grant with the DEC for half of that Monroe project. And I think we just have to remember we’re all collaborators. We’re on a governing board. All meetings are important. Keeping lines of communication with outside agencies and outside municipal entities are important but we have something called a village manager in this municipality. And that’s an on site executive.”

“We just need to work together”

Lapey then asked Luft whether Winstead’s meeting had impacted Pelham Manor’s efforts to work on flood mitigation: “My understanding is with respect to the Monroe project some of this outside communication that has not involved you potentially could have compromised the project. Correct?”

Luft affirmed that Winstead’s meeting with Fernandez had threatened another step scheduled for that week, but that she had been able to get the process back on track.

“OK, we just need to work together,” said Lapey.

Shekane asked Luft for more detail on whether Winstead’s solo meeting had disrupted the process that the village is pursuing for flood mitigation.

“There was some confusion caused,” said Luft.

“I guess as the Chief Elected I would ask that any trustees who set up meetings that particularly pertain to projects that we have underway, like the Monroe Street project, that the Manager at a minimum is apprised,” said Lapey.

“I think I’m much more concerned that this visit was scheduled and took place without the Village manager or any other members of the board,” said Shekane. “Trustee Winstead, you are in office only three months when you had this meeting.  I’m concerned that any communication that you had with representatives from the city or the state senator were incomplete and potentially uninformed given you did not have detail about years of discussion between the professional over here and the representatives on the other side. You are one member of a team and do not have the ability to make decision or act single-handily so this gives me great pause on your ability to work collaboratively in the interest of this community. You said you didn’t inform anyone, and that really is concerning to me.”

A lot of time on his hands

At one point during Shekane’s 30 minutes at the microphone, Winstead remarked that he seemed to have a lot of time on his hands.

“Yes, I have a lot of free time because I live here and you’re a fiduciary to us,” he said. Shekane then dug into details about Winstead’s vote against the Pelham Manor budget, which–unlike budgets adopted or proposed by the Town of Pelham and Village Pelham–remains under the state’s tax cap.

He argued that robust sales tax revenue from the Manor’s commercial district is not a given, especially as economic conditions change. He also noted that Winstead had said she favored reducing property taxes. Such a step, while attractive in in the short term, could create new problems, he said.

“If you decide to come in two points below the allowable levy, you can’t make that up because there’s only an allowable increase year-to-year based on the previous year’s levy,” he said. “So that hole will grow until an emergency hits. And we all know at some point in time, an emergency will hit. So I can’t think of a situation where the phrase ‘missing the forest for the trees’ is any more appropriate. By voting against the budget, you voted against the funding of capital projects, our DPW, the fire department and police department. So as a fiduciary to all residents, you failed to do what is in our best interest.”

In conclusion, Shekane called out Winstead on her earlier remark. “Finally, I don’t appreciate your comment about me having too much time on my hands because plenty of people come up here and they’re up there for 40 minutes. They got plenty of time too. I have a full-time job and a family. Thank you.”

Winstead was not without support.  After Shekane sat down, Toby Marxuach-Gusciura  approached the microphone and defended the trustee.

“I actually appreciate that Debbie looked into the budget and voiced her objections, which didn’t mean the budget didn’t pass,” said Marxuach-Gusciura. “It did pass, so I’m not sure why anyone’s making a big deal out of it.”